The present invention relates to a cutter for cutting fiber optic cable and a method of using same.
Fiber optic cables have become very popular such that they are being used to replace other types of cables in a variety of circumstances, i.e., telephone lines, cable television lines, etc. The cutting of fiber optic cables, though, has presented a problem to many workers because the tools that they use to cut other types of cable do not always cleanly cut the strength reinforcement strands, such as aramid, that run throughout fiber optic cables. The reason that the fiber optic cables do not cleanly cut appears to stem from the flexibleness of the fiber optic cables and the high tensile strength of the strength reinforcement strands. When a cutter that has been used in the past to cut other types of cable is used to cut fiber optic cable, the fine strength reinforcement strands appear to pull toward the blades of the cutter and bend between the blades instead of being cut by the blades. When a fiber optic cable does not cut cleanly, the worker is forced to pull the strength reinforcement strands apart or use a saw or knife to complete the cut. The pulling of the strength reinforcement strands by either the worker or the cutter, as well as completing the cut by a saw or a knife, can potentially cause damage to the fiber optic cable at some spot in the fiber optic cable that is not being cut.
Therefore, an improved cutter for cutting fiber optic cables is needed. The present invention provides such a cutter. Features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon a reading of the attached specification, in combination with a study of the drawings.
A primary object of the invention is to provide a cable cutter which cleanly cuts a cable, such as fiber optic cable, without having to use another tool to complete the cut.
Another object of the invention is to provide a cable cutter for cutting cable that prevents the cable from pulling toward the cutter blades and bending between the blades instead of being cut.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a cable cutter that uses a clamping mechanism to place the strength reinforcement strands of a fiber optic cable in tension prior to cutting the cable in order to prevent the strength reinforcement strands from pulling into the gap between the blades.
Another object of the invention is to provide an improved method of cutting a cable.
Briefly, and in accordance with the foregoing, the present invention provides a cutter for cutting cable, such as fiber optic cable, and a method of using same. The cutter of the present invention includes a pair of opposite members that are joined together at a joint such that the opposite members move in conjunction with each other. Each member has a handle on one side of the joint and a cutting blade on the opposite side of the joint. When the handles are forced together, the cutting blades are also forced together. The cutter also includes a clamping mechanism. The clamping mechanism is used to clamp the fiber optic cable on either side of the cutting blades, prior to the cutting of strength reinforcement strands within the fiber optic cable, such that the strength reinforcement strands of the fiber optic cable will be placed in tension, thereby ensuring a clean cut of the entire fiber optic cable by the cutting blades.